These Espresso Swirl Cookies are easier to make than they look, and are one of my favorite holiday cookies. Vanilla and chocolate sable doughs are rolled together, sliced, and baked!

Swirl Cookies - On Sheet Pan with Chocolate and Vanilla Dough Alternating
These are a variation on yesterday’s cookies, and basically I use the same dough but prepare them differently.  Kind of like how different pasta shapes and textures yield different experiences, these sort of “taste different” from yesterday’s checkerboard cookies, even though they use the same dough.  It’s the different blending patterns of the two.  Here’s how to make these cool looking cookies:

Start by making a shortbread cookie dough.

Mixing Bowl with Vanilla Cookie Dough

Divide it in half and mix one half with espresso, chocolate, and cocoa powder.

Chocolate Cookie Dough in Mixing with Paddle Attachment

Roll each dough out into a rectangle, then lay them on top of each other and roll it all up like a jelly role.
Sheet of Vanilla Cookie Dough Pressed On top of Chocolate Cookie Dough and Rolled Up

Slice the roll into individual pieces.

Swirl Sugar Cookie Dough with One Slice Cut

Bake!

Swirl Cookies - On Sheet Pan with Chocolate and Vanilla Dough Alternating

Espresso Swirl Cookies

Servings: 24 -36 cookies
Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
 These Espresso Swirl Cookies are easier to make than they look, and are one of my favorite holiday cookies. Vanilla and chocolate sable doughs are rolled together, sliced, and baked!
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Ingredients

  • 15 oz all purpose flour, by weight (3 cups, if measuring)
  • 1.5 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 extra large egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2.25 tsp instant espresso powder
  • 2 oz bittersweet chocolate melted
  • 1 tbsp cocoa powder

Instructions 

  • Whisk to combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  • In a stand mixer bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter to spread around the bowl. With the mixer running, stream in the sugar. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until combined.
  • Slowly add the flour mixture to the stand mixer bowl until combined.
  • Remove half of the dough, wrap in plastic and put into the fridge.
  • Add the espresso powder, chocolate, and cocoa powder to the remaining dough, and mix to combine.
  • Remove the coffee dough from the mixer and place between two pieces of wax paper. Roll it out into a 9×14 inch rectangle. Do the same with the vanilla dough. Refrigerate both doughs on a sheet pan for 1 hour.
  • Top one dough over the other, then use a rolling pin to press them together. Very slowly, start rolling the dough up jelly roll style.
  • If the dough tears, stop and patch it together. Roll it very tightly and take your time. Once the dough has been rolled up, chill for another 30 minutes to a full hour.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cut the dough into sliced cookies (I did somewhere between 1/4″ and 1/8″ thick).
  • Place cookie slices on a parchment paper lined sheet pan. Bake for 10 minutes, and cool on a wire rack.

Nutrition

Calories: 173kcal, Carbohydrates: 22g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 29mg, Sodium: 52mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 10g

Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Author: Fifteen Spatulas